All Signals, Listed and Diagrammed

Rules Mechanics

Reflects the 2026 NFHS rules year. Built from the 2026 NFHS football officials' signal chart. Last checked August 30, 2026.
Verify against the current rule book and VPA guide before teaching this as authoritative.

Every signal, S1 through S47, in one place — the chart order, not grouped by foul type. For the numbering system, who signals what, and how signals chain together, see Official Signals. These are our own stick-figure drawings of the motions; the NFHS chart's own artwork is copyright Referee and is not reproduced here. Where a drawing and the printed chart disagree, the chart wins — check it on pages 96–97 of your rules book.

Signal 1, ball ready for play or untimed down: arm extended toward the ball, chop downward. Untimed down: index finger circling overhead. — S1 — Ball ready for play

S2 — Start the clock

Signal 3, time-out or discretionary or injury time-out: arms sweep up from horizontal and cross overhead. Injury: follow by tapping both hands on the chest. — S3 — Time-out

Signal 4, TV or radio time-out: one forearm horizontal, the other hand upright against it: a T. — S4 — TV/radio time-out

Signal 5, touchdown or field goal or point(s) after touchdown: both arms straight up, palms open. — S5 — Touchdown / field goal / PAT

Signal 6, safety: palms together above the head. — S6 — Safety

Signal 7, dead ball foul or touchback: arm straight overhead, open hand moving side to side. — S7 — Dead ball foul / touchback

Signal 8, first down: arm extended toward the offense's goal line. — S8 — First down

Signal 9, loss of down: both hands behind the head, elbows out. — S9 — Loss of down

Signal 10, incomplete forward pass or penalty declined or no play, no score or toss option deferred: both arms swept back and forth in front of the body. — S10 — Incomplete pass

Signal 11, legal touching of forward pass or scrimmage kick: hand brushed sideways in front of the shoulder. — S11 — Legal touching

Signal 12, inadvertent whistle: face the press box, whistle held out in front. — S12 — Inadvertent whistle

S13 — Disregard flag

Signal 14, end of period: ball held overhead in one hand. — S14 — End of period

Signal 15, sideline warning: both arms extended toward the sidelines. First offense is a warning only. — S15 — Sideline warning

Signal 16, first touching or illegal touching: fingertips tap both shoulders. — S16 — First / illegal touching

S17 — Reset play clock (25; both hands for 40)

Signal 18, encroachment: hands on hips. — S18 — Encroachment

Signal 19, false start or illegal formation or free kick infraction: forearms rotated over one another in front of the chest. — S19 — False start / illegal formation

Signal 20, illegal shift (2 hands) or illegal motion (1 hand): forearms horizontal in front, moving side to side. One hand for motion, two for a shift. — S20 — Illegal shift / motion

Signal 21, delay of game: arms folded across the chest. — S21 — Delay of game

Signal 22, substitution infraction: one arm folded across the chest, fist at the opposite shoulder. — S22 — Substitution infraction

Signal 23, disconcerting act: cupped hand behind the ear. — S23 — Disconcerting act

Signal 24, illegal helmet contact or targeting: fist struck against the side of the helmet. — S24 — Illegal helmet contact

Signal 25, illegal horse-collar tackle: hand at the back of the collar, pulled sharply down and back. — S25 — Horse-collar tackle

Signal 26, illegal blindside block: fists brought together in front of the chest. — S26 — Illegal blindside block

Signal 27, unsportsmanlike conduct or noncontact foul: arms extended horizontally from the shoulders, palms down. — S27 — Unsportsmanlike conduct

Signal 28, illegal participation: both hands on top of the head, elbows out. — S28 — Illegal participation

Signal 29, sideline interference: facing the press box, hands clasped behind the back. — S29 — Sideline interference

Signal 30, running into or roughing kicker or holder: swing one leg forward, as a kicker does. — S30 — Running into / roughing the kicker

Signal 31, illegal batting or kicking: open hand slapped downward above the shoulder. For kicking, follow by pointing at the toe. — S31 — Illegal batting / kicking

Signal 32, invalid fair catch or illegal fair catch signal: forearm up, open hand waved side to side at head height. — S32 — Invalid fair-catch signal

Signal 33, forward pass interference or kick catching interference: both arms forward from the shoulders, hands open and upright. — S33 — Pass / kick-catching interference

Signal 34, roughing passer: one arm swung down across the front of the body. — S34 — Roughing the passer

Signal 35, illegal pass or forward handing: face the press box, one hand behind the back at the waist. — S35 — Illegal forward pass

Signal 36, intentional grounding: both arms swung downward across the front of the body. — S36 — Intentional grounding

Signal 37, ineligible downfield on pass: one hand flat on top of the head. — S37 — Ineligible downfield

Signal 38, personal foul: one wrist struck against the other in front of the body. — S38 — Personal foul

Signal 39, clipping: bend at the waist, strike the back of your own leg. — S39 — Clipping

Signal 40, blocking below waist: bend forward, both hands chopping at the thighs. — S40 — Blocking below the waist

Signal 41, chop block: standing upright, both hands chopping inward at thigh height. — S41 — Chop block

Signal 42, holding: grasp the closed fist and pull it downward. — S42 — Holding

Signal 43, illegal block or illegal use of hands/arms: one forearm horizontal, the other hand open and upright above it. — S43 — Illegal block / use of hands

Signal 44, helping runner or interlocked blocking: arms down at the sides, both hands sweeping outward. — S44 — Helping the runner

Signal 45, grasping face mask or helmet opening: closed fist in front of the mask, pulled down. — S45 — Face mask

Signal 46, tripping: swing one leg across the front of the other. — S46 — Tripping

S47 — Disqualification